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Heritage Trilogy #2
Birthright
The dramatic fight for modern Jewish statehood forms the backdrop of this second book in the Heritage trilogy, a series of epic political thrillers set in Jerusalem.
Following Bloodline, in which Bilal and Yael raced to thwart a terrorist plot in modern-day Jerusalem, Book Two travels six decades into the past and introduces Yael’s grandparents: Shalman, a freedom fighter turned peacenik archaeologist, and his young, beautiful wife Judit, a refugee from the horrors of Stalin’s USSR. As WWII draws to a close and the truth about Hitler’s genocide emerges, the need for a permanent safe haven for the Jewish people takes on unprecedented urgency.
But the path to statehood is anything but clear. Throughout Palestine, Arab and Jewish forces battle each other and the British for supremacy in a nightmarish environment riddled with hatred and suspicion. A plot to fashion the fledgling Israeli nation as a puppet of the Soviet Union—undermining Israel’s future as an independent nation—rests upon a handful of committed Jewish Communists, led covertly by Judit. Meanwhile, in a parallel storyline going back to the darkest recesses of ancient history, Shalman’s ancestors flee the grisly Roman occupation of Jerusalem, witness the glories of the Islamic renaissance in Baghdad, and endure the rampages of the Crusaders.
Set in one of the most fraught regions in the world and spanning centuries, this pulse-pounding, timely thriller centers on a turning point in the inexorable conflict that still rages today.
Following Bloodline, in which Bilal and Yael raced to thwart a terrorist plot in modern-day Jerusalem, Book Two travels six decades into the past and introduces Yael’s grandparents: Shalman, a freedom fighter turned peacenik archaeologist, and his young, beautiful wife Judit, a refugee from the horrors of Stalin’s USSR. As WWII draws to a close and the truth about Hitler’s genocide emerges, the need for a permanent safe haven for the Jewish people takes on unprecedented urgency.
But the path to statehood is anything but clear. Throughout Palestine, Arab and Jewish forces battle each other and the British for supremacy in a nightmarish environment riddled with hatred and suspicion. A plot to fashion the fledgling Israeli nation as a puppet of the Soviet Union—undermining Israel’s future as an independent nation—rests upon a handful of committed Jewish Communists, led covertly by Judit. Meanwhile, in a parallel storyline going back to the darkest recesses of ancient history, Shalman’s ancestors flee the grisly Roman occupation of Jerusalem, witness the glories of the Islamic renaissance in Baghdad, and endure the rampages of the Crusaders.
Set in one of the most fraught regions in the world and spanning centuries, this pulse-pounding, timely thriller centers on a turning point in the inexorable conflict that still rages today.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
400 pages, Paperback
Published August 4, 2015
2 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Alan Gold
52 books46 followersAlan Gold began his career as a journalist, working in the UK, Europe, and Israel. In 1970, he emigrated to Australia with his wife, Eva, and now lives in St. Ives, Sydney, where he divides his time between writing novels and running his award-winning marketing consultancy.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 4, 2015
This is the second book in the Heritage Trilogy; reading the first one is not necessary to enjoy this excellent book. Birthright provides historical background on the formation of the states of Palestine and Israel and today’s conflict. Very informative, yet an enjoyable, suspenseful read.
February 21, 2021
I received a free copy from NetGalley. I had not read the first one. It didn't seem as if I needed to. I do not plan to read the third one. Too many characters. Too many timelines. It dragged on forever without ever making you root for any of the characters. The power was out with nothing to do and I found myself staring out the window instead. I just couldn't get into this one.
September 2, 2019
Though written by two authors set in two time periods 900 years apart, the novels flows well and keeps the reader fully engaged. The writing style is traditional but the historical perspective certainly is not. Highly recommended.
February 12, 2024
I want to know if there is a third book. There are some unanswered questions to the story that is covered in book 1 and book 2. Reading a book such as this, during this time of upheaval in the Middle East, gives us all some important lessons. Highly recommended.
September 21, 2016
**I received this book as a winner in the Goodreads giveaway**
My apologies to the authors and publisher for taking so long to read and review this book. I received it before moving and thought I kept it out of storage. It ended up being in storage 9 months!! I have finally had a chance to read it.
This is the second in a trilogy by these authors. It explores the heritage of the two main characters in Bloodline, or at least for sure the one character, beginning with the end of WWII. I enjoyed this book more than the last. There was more character development so you could invest in them more. The story connected through several time periods going through the creation of Israel as a state. I would like to have seen more on the Palestinian/Arab side of the story as to it's establishment as a state of it's own, although perhaps that is implied given the Jewish history. The book does go back and forth between time periods but is it clearly noted and is not confusing. The only part that doesn't connect, at least yet, was the Christian story line. Perhaps that comes in more in the third book. As far as I can tell, we still don't know where the "bloodline" crosses.
I found the history of this book to be very intriguing as I am terribly uninformed on the establishment of Israel as it's own state. What is fascinating is the thousands of years of dislike (hatred?) and discrimination between the Jewish and Arab people. Then along come the Christians. And how sad that it continues today. While I think the emphasis leans more to the Jewish side of things, no group is left off the hook for how things have evolved in Israel. I will read the third book when it is available to see how it all comes together.
Because this is an uncorrected copy, I will say I hope they corrected the spelling and grammatical errors that were in the book I received. It is an easy book and flows pretty well.
My apologies to the authors and publisher for taking so long to read and review this book. I received it before moving and thought I kept it out of storage. It ended up being in storage 9 months!! I have finally had a chance to read it.
This is the second in a trilogy by these authors. It explores the heritage of the two main characters in Bloodline, or at least for sure the one character, beginning with the end of WWII. I enjoyed this book more than the last. There was more character development so you could invest in them more. The story connected through several time periods going through the creation of Israel as a state. I would like to have seen more on the Palestinian/Arab side of the story as to it's establishment as a state of it's own, although perhaps that is implied given the Jewish history. The book does go back and forth between time periods but is it clearly noted and is not confusing. The only part that doesn't connect, at least yet, was the Christian story line. Perhaps that comes in more in the third book. As far as I can tell, we still don't know where the "bloodline" crosses.
I found the history of this book to be very intriguing as I am terribly uninformed on the establishment of Israel as it's own state. What is fascinating is the thousands of years of dislike (hatred?) and discrimination between the Jewish and Arab people. Then along come the Christians. And how sad that it continues today. While I think the emphasis leans more to the Jewish side of things, no group is left off the hook for how things have evolved in Israel. I will read the third book when it is available to see how it all comes together.
Because this is an uncorrected copy, I will say I hope they corrected the spelling and grammatical errors that were in the book I received. It is an easy book and flows pretty well.
August 13, 2015
Wow! This was one action packed, complex, super intense read. I love historical fiction, and this is going up on the Top 10 list. I have always wondered how Israel really became a nation after World War II, especially watching the news and knowing how dangerous it is to live in Israel these days. I just had no idea how long Israel has fought to be a peaceful home. There are several main characters, living during separate times in the past, going as far back as before Christ's birth and ending in 1948, when the UN declares Palestine and Israel their own independent nations. Each plot line tells its own tale of the struggle for peace and independence, whether Jewish, Arab or Christian. Many of the storylines are tied together by a special etched stone in Hebrew, giving the novel even more authenticity. I especially enjoyed Shalman and Judit's story, Shalman being the conscience of the couple and his wife, Judit, being the cold and calculating assassin. The only reason I gave the book 4 stars is that there were a few loose ends left hanging. I will definitely recommend the book to friends and family.
July 15, 2016
Well written and researched. I came away from this feeling like I may have just learned something important.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews